Your Opinion On Wedding Favors....

Hubby and I were talking about favors today. I see/hear of couples who plan their favors based on the couple's interests. They might buy imprinted golf tees if they are big golfers; they might give packets of seeds if they are gardeners; they might select monogrammed corkscrews if they are wine lovers.

I tend to think that if you are giving a gift to someone, you should be considerate of what the receiver will enjoy. 80 year old gramma who gets along with a walker is not going to enjoy some golf tees and I doubt she gets on her hands and knees and gardens much. I know you can't please everyone, but in general, you should ask the question, "Will most of our guests enjoy and get use out of this?"

Hubby says giving a gift in the theme of the event is fine. Even if no one uses them or if half of them get thrown in the trash. He says, "It's not like a Christmas gift". That doesnt' make sense to me ... if it's Christmas, you should give a gift that is considerate of what the receiver will enjoy, but all other occasions, it's hit or miss? (It's somewhere around here that he called me a dumbass! )

For my wedding each guest got a bag of cookies and I had single roses in flower tubes, all tied up in pretty fabric on each plate. It made the tables really pretty and everyone got to take them home. I got a case of 200 roses at Sams for $70.I think most favors are pretty silly....and you know they spend a fortune on them!

I agree. I like edible favors, cookies and candy. I also like the idea of making a donation to your cause of choice in the name of each of your guests. I was engaged at one time and our favor was going to be donations in the name of our guests to the local animal shelter and a cookie in the shape of a dog. Thats the only idea I did not ditch when I got rid of the fiance hehe.

I agree. I like edible favors, cookies and candy. I also like the idea of making a donation to your cause of choice in the name of each of your guests. I was engaged at one time and our favor was going to be donations in the name of our guests to the local animal shelter and a cookie in the shape of a dog. Thats the only idea I did not ditch when I got rid of the fiance hehe.

What's up with all these favors anyway? Got invited, bring gift, say thank you - done!Sorry - I came from different country. Just never liked favors, and mostly now, when I have kids! If any - I vote for edible.

Not a huge favor person. To me just something else to waste money on out of the wedding budget. With that being said edible favors I enjoy the most. However, one time we did receive a Christmas ornament (wedding was in December) that was a piece of blown glass to look like an ice cycle. It was the same blue color as the blue for the wedding. Really pretty and I liked the idea. It broke easily though.My DH's aunts wedding everyone got a piece of crystal. Each crystal piece cost them $600. I put them in the curio cabinet and forget all about them until it's time to dust. To me money wasted, I'd rather have had a cookie.

I had never Heard of favors until my daughter got engaged. She was to have a Christmas wedding, so we were talking about ornaments. When they decided to move wedding up to August (in June) any thought of favors went out the window. We did have little tubes of bubbles in a basket for people to blow as the bride and groom departed. Otherwise, lots of cookies and cake, fellowship, and a Caporeira martial arts demo (yeah, the groom wanted to have a ceremonial demo!).

$600 EACH! I hope they only had immediate family of about ONE attending! Or can they really afford that sort of thing? Give me a cookie or piece of chocolate, and I will be happy!

Since my daughter and her husband love music, they really wanted to make a mix CD for the guests. They picked a variety of music so everyone could find something they liked. They included their "first dance" songs they used for them, and for her dances with her dad and step-dad. They burned the CDs themselves, and we made the playlist and pic for the CD case on the computer. All pretty cheap. We put them next to the guest book and people took them if they wanted one. Nearly everyone took one home, so I guess they liked them.

They also sent one to everyone who sent a gift but was unable to attend the wedding, which I thought was a nice touch. Plus it got rid of the extras.

I think the favors are just okay. I would rather get nothing than a golf tee. I think the edible gifts are the best.

Well, there are two ways to look at favors. On the plus side, if you are in the wedding catering biz, you can suggest edible favors such as cake balls which means more income for you. If the cake balls are a hit, this could also mean increased/return orders in business for you (another plus). I think all other favors are horse pucky and ridiculous. So, if you get lemons make lemonade. Suggest if you are making the cake anyway, why not do the favors also...in the form of cookies, cake balls, etc. Oh and by the way, INDY, tell your husband that I said it wasn't nice for him to call you a dumba$$. I think you are absolutely right! Must be one of those man things. LOL.

I think most favors are a waste of money cause I have only ever been to weddings where they have given,picture frames,little silver bells Crystal bowl (Italian wedding) small ceramic ornaments ,fridge magnet of the couple and of course years ago mints tied up in tuille or some sort of candy...I would much rather eat a great edible favor like a cookie or small bag of cakeballs or a great packaged cupcake etc..I have tried to get this concept out to the brides but some are still stuck on the old junk trinkets! They will pay $5.00 and up for a junky favor but balk at my cookie prices for $5.00 each..Don't get it!

The church where we got married, wouldn't let us toss anything (rice, or bird seed, or flower petals--which is what I originally had wanted). I didn't want to do the little bottles of bubbles because then everyone's hands get icky from the bubble liquid and I was afraid some might get on my dress and stain it. So, we got the little bells that Wilton sells, the ones that some receptions have on the tables for guests to ring and the couple to kiss, tied ribbons to them in our wedding colors (one had our names and the date printed on it) and handed those out just before we did our "get away" and everyone rang the bells as we ran to the car and drove off. The people who passed out the bells let everyone know that it was theirs to keep and that we suggested they hang them on their Christmas trees. I don't know if that's what everyone who got one did with theirs, but every Christmas tree I've seen of someone who was at the wedding does have the bells on it, so I guess a lot of them did.

We usually leave them on the mantel for a while and then throw them away, if we can't get away with leaving them at the venue. Why would people expect others to clutter up their house with an 8x10 crystal plate with someone else's names and wedding date engraved on it? (One of the many favors we have received recently.) Most of us have enough junk laying around, we don't need any more.

Icubed82- The wedding was for only about 30 guests. Still $600 x 30 = $18,000 without tax, and for just the wedding favors. Crazy in my book, but that's what they wanted. I almost forgot that they also had very small real silver frames also as gifts. These had our names and table number in it though, so it (somewhat) served a purpose. They can afford it though.

I think edible favors are the way to go. I just went to a wedding in Calif wine country - they gave 16oz bottles of olive oil with a personalized label - cool, but a PIA to pack in my luggage for the plane ride home. I did a cake at another wedding where they made a donation to the humane society and St Jude's Children's Hospital

I really think that they should be food oriented. I don't care if it's a cookie, a brownie, a chocolate truffle, or a cruffle (cake truffle) or something else. It just seems to me food appeals to all ages (unless your diabetic) and then they still want it. They just might not be able to eat it.

I think edible is the only way to go..... I have NEVER understood the whole cookie cutter wedding favor thing. Out of my entire family, only about 3 would bother to make a rolled out cookie. It boggles my mind - but those are cheap, lol.

Clanking dishes for the bridal couple to kiss? I never heard of that, does it happen once, or what? Is it a local custom?

I know it's at least a Midwest US thing, because every wedding reception I've been to has done it. You clank the silverware against a dish, everyone else starts doing it until the couple kisses. Happens so often during the meal that most couples feel like they don't eat enough. lol The idea is to catch the couple as they both take a bite of food.